Releasing attachment for electric starting motors



F. A. LEIB May 28, 1929.

RELEASING ATTACHMENT FOR ELECTRIC STARTING MOTORS Filed Feb. 23. 1927 ll [H M INVENTOR. -M 62. m

BY 2M m/a 2 ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 28, 1929.

UNITED STATE-S FRANK A. LEIB, or SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

RELEASING ATTACHMENT FUR ELECTRIC STARTING MOTORS.

Application filed February 23, 1927. Serial No. 170,083.

This invention relates to an electric starting motor for automobiles and the like which Serves the function of'rotating or cranking the engine crank shaft when starting and particularly to that type of starting motor in which a Bendix drive is employed.

Electric starting motors employing" a Ben- 'dix drive are equipped with a driving pinion which is automatically and quickly shifted along the shaft of the starting motor into mesh with the teeth on the flywheel of the engine when a circuit is closed through the starting mot-or. The pinion remains in mesh with the flywheel gear and, accordingly, performs the operation of cranking until the engine commences to fire, when the direction of drive is reversed and the pinion is automatically shifted out of mesh and released. The teeth of both the flywheel and pinion are beveled on the entering side for easy engage ment, but the beveled ends of the gearswear, chip and break in time from frequent use. lVhen this happens trouble begins'as it becomes difficult to mesh the gears. In some in stances, the gears become jammed and the only thing the driver can do is to move the transmission gears into direct drive and then rock the car back and forth until the starter gears accidentally release. This is fairly easily accomplished, particularly, if the car is standing on a grade, but it becomes difficult and sometimes almost impossible to ac complish if the automobile is standing on soft ground or if the driver is alone and cannot impart suflicient momentum to the car. In such instances it often becomes necesary to call a garage man or to wait until assistance can be obtained.

The object of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify the construction and operation of starting motors of the character described and particularly to provide an extension on one or both ends of the starting motor shaft whereby the shaft may be manually engaged and rotated in a reverse direction to release the gears when they become jammed. The invention is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawing which is a side elevation of a starting motor, said view being shown partly in section and also disclosing the extensions on the starting shaft whereby the shaft may be manually engaged and rotated.

Referring to the drawing, A indicates the starting motor; B the shaft driven thereby; C the driving pinion and I) the flywheel gear.

The general construction disclosed is a modern type of Bendix automatic gear shift and is, accordingly, equipped with a starting switchE, a coarse threaded sleeve F and a spring connection G which allows a certain amount of flexibility and prevents too sudden application of the gears.

In actual operation when the starting button of the switch E is pressed down, the connections are made between the storage battery and the starting motor. This causes the armature and the starter shaft B to rotate rapidly, thereby causing the driving pinion C to travel towards the motor 011 the coarse threaded sleeve F and to mesh with the gear i gine. When the engine starts under itsown power and the starting switch is released, the pinion C is automatically thrown out of mesh with the flywheel gear and the starting motor and shaft comes to rest. The teeth of both the pinion and the flywheel are bevelled, as previously stated, on the entering side for easy engagement, but the bevelled ends gradually wear, chip and break due to constant use and it is then that trouble commences as it becomes difficult to mesh the gears and it often happens that the gears jam tightly, thus rendering the starting motor inoperable. In the present instance, release of the gears may be readily and quickly accomplished with a minimum effort or trouble by merely providing an extension on one or both ends of the starter shaft. This may be accomplished by extending the end of the starter shaft as shown at 2 and forming flat faces thereon so that the end of the shaft may be gripped by a wrench or the like and manually rotated. It is, of course, rotated in the direction opposite to that of the starting motor and the coarse threaded sleeve will, during such reverse rotation automatically re tract the pinion and will thus break the interlock between the gears.

1 In some automobiles, one end of the starter shaft is more accessible than the other.

If this is the case, a hole may be drilled in the end of the motor housing, as indicated at 3. I

The end of the armature or starter shaft is also drilled and tapped and a bolt is inserted as indicated at 4:. This is permanently screwed into place and it thus serves as a projection which may be engaged by a wrench to manually rotate the armature or starting shaft whenever a 1' am occurs. Where the end of the motor housing is drilled to permit insertion of the bolt as illustrated, it is preferable to apply a dust cap as indicated at 6 to prevent admission of dust and grit. The de vice is exceedingly simple and may be attached to the motors as manufactured and sent out by the factory orit may be attached to any Bendix drive by garage men or mechanics by merely drilling the end of the motor housing and inserting the bolt as previously stated, or by inserting a bolt in the opposite end of the shaft indicated at 2. If the arrangement is applied at the factory it is merely necessary to extend the ends of the shaft and to form flattened surfacesthereon which may be gripped by a wrench. The whole device is, accordingly, exceedingly simple and may be attached at a comparatively small cost.

While certain features of the present invention are more or less specifically described, I wish it understood that Various changes may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims. Similarly that the materials and finishes of the several parts employed may be such as the manufacturer may decide or varying conditions or uses may demand.

Having thus described my invention, what ll claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s I 1; In a starter motor of the character described, a motor a starter shaft extending.

from one end of the motor and provided at the other end interiorly of the motor casing with a threaded socket, and a screw extending into the motor casing and engaging the threads of the socket and rigid with the starter shaft, said screw being provided GX-V teriorly of the motor casing With a polygonal head adapted to be gripped by a wrench to manually rotate the shaft in a reverse direction. V

2. In a starter motor of the character de scribed, a motor, a starter shaft extending from one end of the motorand provided at the other end interiorly of the motor casing with a threaded socket, and a screw extending into the motor casingand engaging the threads of thesocket and rigid with the start- 1' er shaft, said screw being provided eXteriorly of the motor casing with a polygonal head adapted to be gripped by a wrench to manually rotate the shaft in a reverse direction, said starter shaft being provided atits extended end with an integral polygonal projection also adapted to receive a wrench for rotating the startershaft manually;

FRANK A. LEIB. 

